Locking columns & automation

Hi everyone,

I have a sheet that is to collect all the information needed to enter material master data into SAP. To do that a per a form.

We have 48 automations setup. Some of the update requests there are fields that we need them to see for reference, but we do not want them to be able to change. I can lock down the columns that we do not want them to be able to change and that works.

The problem is that there are update requests that those same fields need to be completed in order for the update requests further down the workflow can be completed.

If I lock down the columns for the update requests that are further down the flow, then the people that need to complete those requests earlier in the flow are not able to complete those fields either.

Any suggestions?

As an example"

Request is entered into the sheet via the form

WF #1- R&D has to complete their fields including adding the new part #

WF #2-Planning- they need to see the information from the request & from R&D in order to complete their sections, but we do not want them to be able to change the information from the request or R&D

WF#3-Purchasing- same here, they need to be able to see the previous information but we do not want them to be able to change any of it

And so on …

Thanks, Freda

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Accepted answers

Janae G.

Hello @FTesseneer ! Hmm this is a tricky problem…. here is a possible workaround though-

Maybe create a few helper columns with column formulas that simply pull exactly the text from the columns you want later update requests to be able to view the data but not edit. (Simply =[Normal column]@row). The normal column and the helper column would have the same data in them, but one is editable (unlocked) and one is NOT editable (column formula does not allow form users to edit the data).

So example:

WF #1 enters new information. Helper columns for all of these columns copy the data.

WF#2 Planning: Include those above helper columns to reference previous data, and any other columns to be edited.

WF#2 Purchasing: same idea- any columns to NOT edit are the helper column versions, any columns to edit are the regular versions.

Note that I don't think it matters whether the helper columns with column formulas are locked or not… they won't be editable in any forms either way.

Kind of a weird roundabout method, but it might work. Hope this helps!

All comments

FTesseneer

I did run a test with R&D to prove this out and they were not able to fill out their fields because I had the column blocked.

Janae G.

Hello @FTesseneer ! Hmm this is a tricky problem…. here is a possible workaround though-

So example:

WF #1 enters new information. Helper columns for all of these columns copy the data.

WF#2 Planning: Include those above helper columns to reference previous data, and any other columns to be edited.

WF#2 Purchasing: same idea- any columns to NOT edit are the helper column versions, any columns to edit are the regular versions.

Note that I don't think it matters whether the helper columns with column formulas are locked or not… they won't be editable in any forms either way.

Kind of a weird roundabout method, but it might work. Hope this helps!

FTesseneer

Thank you, Janae,

I will try the helper columns.

Freda

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